Karim Abdul Jaber claimed for his mentor that he "was not like the ass Tarantino drew in his film" • "There will be water" backs up this claim with all the necessary evidence
The traditional Dokaviv festival that kicked off this week is not steeped in sports films this year, but anyone who thinks that "there will be water" - the story of Bruce Lee, is just a sports film completely misses the point.
Although the film is part of the excellent film series of the American television network ESPN, which in recent years has been making a comeback with the 30/30 docu-films, this excellent documentary is far beyond a sports film.
Recently, Bruce Lee's name made headlines following the way he was portrayed by the great director of the period, Quentin Tarantino, in his latest film "There Were Times in Hollywood," as an egocentric, self-conscious and mostly a little silly character, in the famous Bruce Lee double fight scene with Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt).
The attack on the director was not long in coming when the daughter of a martial arts legend attacked him and said he had turned "my dad into an arrogant punching bag".
Many of his acquaintances joined the criticism and claimed that Tarantino had gone too far.
The director was quick to apologize and mention that this was his idol and that he mentioned it throughout his career.
The new documentary that came out this summer insists on confronting this matter as well.
Whoever comes out in defense of Bruce Lee is his student from time immemorial, basketball legend Karim Abdul Jaber, who trained in Los Angeles with Lee for four years and even collaborated with him in a memorable fight scene.
"Bruce Lee did not turn around like the ass Tarantino painted in his film," he defended his friend, as he recounted the relationship that had developed between them over the years.
There is no shortage of documentaries about Bruce Lee and if you're a big fan you probably know most of the stories that appear in "There Will Be Water", but it is still an extraordinary film because it reveals for the first time the family's personal archive and written personal history.
The film's cover is broad, beginning in its early years in Hong Kong and ending when it touched fame, albeit for a very short time.
In addition, the uniqueness of the film comes precisely in the vocal recordings of senior figures in the American film industry, who in real time did not exactly believe in the potential inherent in this giant.
The screening "There will be water" will be held tonight, Thursday 22:30 at Drive In Tel Aviv, and later the film will be broadcast on Hot 8.
